Microsoft proves Kinect doubters wrong

Jack Turner at Which? Convo: Microsoft’s foray into motion-controlled gaming has not only come with a huge marketing spend, it’s had its fair share of doubters. Kinect may not fit hardcore gamers, but it’s certainly cornered Nintendo’s casual crowd.

I was proved wrong on how well it would work in homes, I believed it wouldn't work and from most reviews I've read it seems to do just fine. The only problem is the amount of space you need which I don't have so I'll be waiting awhile before I pick one up.

But only if they come out with some games for the hardcore audience, otherwise this will be just another wii to me.

The software definitely proved it works for me, I was actually really impressed. I'm going to let anybody at work who's skeptical come over and try it for themselves, I garuantee 9 out 10 will like it.

@Jaces, its only 6ft, 8ft for two and honestly its not alot, it only makes sense really. In my experience with kinect the workable playing area extends from about 1.5 ft close to the sensor all the way back to 6ft, I mean any less and how would you be able to physically perform the manuevers for gameplay with less space than that?

No seriously, my living room is tiny. Like the couch is up against the wall and it's about 6ft from the edge of the couch to my t.v.

I'd literally have to be rubbing up against the couch or have to move it completely just to play, not worth the effort really. Either way I still plan on waiting to buy Kinect until some games are shown that will draw my interest.

problem with those reviews is that they were sent FOR FREE to these website.. they're just considering the "fun" part.. not the price that you have to pay..

if they would've had gone and pay for it themselves i don't think they would be willing to overlook the flaws that fast.. i now that after i realize the lag and short time amount of fun it provides i would return it..

do you think that these reviewers are playing kinect as we speak.. they played it wrote the review after having an hour of fun and bam.. back to the box.. that is why this camera should be a 4 out of 10 not 9 out of 10

The CBC said "Kinect doesn’t handle precise controls very well," and concluded that Move was a more satisfying experience.

Globe and Mail said "The lag I experienced makes me doubt whether Kinect can be satisfyingly implemented in what one might call a “traditional” games"

IGN gave Kinect a 7, giving them extra points for "potential" but noting that lag was ever present and it was a questionable value at $150.

GameInformer noted that some games "perform sloppily, making you feel like you have no control over the onscreen action."

CNet gave it a 7, saying that Kinect "requires a lot of room to play" and "gets old fast"

CVG started off their "glowing review" with "Kinect is not for you if..."

And on and on. I consider "glowing reviews" nines and tens - not sixes and sevens like Kinect has been seeing from a lot of the gaming press.

As for this article, "Microsoft proves Kinect doubters wrong", they did nothing of the sort. Lag is present. Dark skin isn't recognized. Space requirements are restrictive. Price is high for an accessory. Games are too casual. Kinect isn't accurate enough.

These are all the points that "doubters" were concerned about. The launch of Kinect has done nothing but prove these concerns were valid.

Glowing reviews??not sure what good reviews are to you but Maybe if MS spent more money on making kinnect work at 100% rather then 70% then maybe the reviews would be glowing but spending millions on adverts doesnt really help the fact that kinnect is a failure tech wise.Maybe in a couple of years they will get it right like nintendo did but for now its meant for casual gammers because they dont really know much about techs for videogames now a days thats why so many people buy things that ride hype trains.The more commercials that are shown the more people are sucked in by the media.I doint feel that Fanboys are in here to bash Kinnect there just in here to voice there opinion on technology that doesnt work when sony move does actually work 1:1 the way it says it does.The downside to move is there isnt much out for it to defend it.In time there will be but Move and Kinnect will need time to showcase what they are about in a year or so.But MS needs to think about the bigger pic and thats putting more money into the tech to get it to work at full capacity.But giving descent reviews for Kinnect just because its different doent justify how badly it actually works.I have played the kinnect at my freinds and it was a let down.Not reconizing my voice or my body language doesnt tell me that kinnect was ready for release yet.

-Globe and Mail also said this about kinect: "Microsoft’s Kinect sets new standard for motion control" Also given the fact that kinect functions heavily by way of software and these are launch games, its completely reasonable that future games will only improve upon the lag which doesn't seem to be a major problem even now...some are just bad games. http://www.theglobeandmail....

-Now just looking at the first couple examples its clear you only cherry pick the articles for negatives but overall although I wouldn't call them "glowing" reviews, they are positive and not just for "potential", they're positive because the games seemed to be fun for the reviewers.

Ok people... if you don't like casual games, stick around for games like Child of Eden and the new Steel Battalion. Your core needs will be met. Not right now... but they will be met. For the time being, a large install base is beneficial to everyone because it gives the core game developers a market to go after with experimental core titles.

Patience.

@trane07: What does that tell me? You're an obstructionist, exclusionist asshole, like most of "gamers", who wants to build a wall around your hobby and protect it from ever changing or maturing. You're like those people who hate bands that get popular. You're only special when you're the only one who gets it... a big fish in a small pond. You probably threw a fit when your mother gave birth to your younger sibling.

The fact that Kinect is on your mind night and day is victory enough for MS. If this were Sony showcasing this extremely nice hardware you guys would be losing it.

edit: "Blatant MS fanboy is obvious. Of course anyone that even goes online or plays any types of games in general regardless of system would hear about Kinect."

Know about it and following news on it are kind of different. I've heard of many things PS3 yet I don't follow any news on it (thank goodness) because it doesn't appeal to me. The fact that some of you claim to know more about Kinect than a purchaser is a win for MS and you know it.

No matter what MS does, they still be hated. Like I don't understand humans theses days. We all know kinect ain't perfect but god damn let it breath and let's see what they will do with it in the future.

Reviews weren't that bad at all but weren't good and that's what I'd expected. The haters out there wanted to fail badly (idk y). In what I see I don't think That's happening.

me neither.. ive still seen no proof that it works in a flawless manner.

Most reviews ive read have all had different issues, on top of that the only sites ive seen give it good reviews are 360 based websites and websites known for biased and cheap reviews.

I've also not seen one interesting game yet, i mean you get the 1st type that contains things such as hitting balls etc. which has been cloned for the types of 'tennis' etc. then the dance games.. that are being cloned.. dance central..micheal jackson.. both the same game in different skins.. then star wars which is completely on rails.. then a clone of that which is the same but with harry potter characters lol..

The only thing that has impressed me from all the reviews i've read, are that the voice commands work great, and when using the kinect for video chat it actually follows you so your always in picture which is pretty badass.. basically it works pretty god damn well for everything but gaming..

Hardware wise, both have been pretty successful in reviews and whatnot, but both have pretty terrible software offerings currently. The only exceptions tend to be health/fitness/dance type games or the occasional mini-game bundle. As of now, the Wii is still the motion control to own, purely because of it's games.

Kinect average score. MIXED to AVERAGE according to GAMING and tech websites. Ign, joystiq, attackofthefanboy, co-optimus, pcworld, endgadget,wolverton. Not a 9 or 10 in sight. 8's at the highest, but an 8 isn't a "breakaway revolution into the future of gaming" like MS touted.

The scores between the sites are wholly differential from each other. And some of those news outlets didn't even review the playstation move. What does that say to you?? That plays a HUGE difference. And by huge I mean 500 million dollar huge.

soooo wii all over again ... ppl, fannies n4g huggies can hate and complain singing reviews from heaven to earth down the hell.. for all i care this is not a game this is a tech that is bigger than just some stupid waggie device.. and wii was the same... but guess what its pwned all other competition and this will pwn harder

What fanboy don't realize is that their opinions are useless since they are bias. I mean how many people bought the move or the kinect, then they will say to everyone one that is the best thing that never happens in videogame history and then stop playing 1 month later...

I doubt that move or kinect can fail... After many years of development these piece of hardware cannot be total waste !

At some point, you have to realize that YOU are not alone in the world and others can be interested by different way to play videogame... Don't try to convince people that Kinect or Move is the best thing... I mean it like religion, don't force people to believe in what you BELIEVE... Just have fun ...

I don't force anyone... Just saying that forcing people to believe in what you believe is wrong. It's not an opinion, it's a fact.

Now what I say is, YOU are not alone (it's a fact), others can be interested by other way to play videogame (Fact).

don't force people to believe in what you BELIEVE... Just have fun ... (not an opinion, more an advice)... Worse case scenario you can say that I try to force people to just having fun... but I don't mention a specific way to have their fun...

I guess that some person have fun to force people to think like them... (well I guess on this point you right because I believe that they are other ways to have fun...) But the question is still open... Do you think is ok to have fun by forcing people ?